Source: Africancrops.net
http://www.africancrops.net/abstracts/seed-systems/mito.htm
Maize breeding program at Lagrotech Seed Company
by J.O. Mito, M.J.F. Onim
The maize breeding program at Lagrotech Seed Company of Kisumu, Kenya,
aims to develop adaptable, high-yielding varieties with special
attributes. The program began when Lagrotech was registered as a seed
company in 2000, and it is conducted by its Department of Research and
Product Development. The company’s breeding program focuses on problem
solving. The most important problems are low yields, unreliable rainfall
patterns, diseases such as maize streak virus, pests such as stalk
borer, weeds (particularly Striga), and poor plant attributes such as
lodging. Lagrotech started with a prolific maize open-pollinated variety
(OPV) called Maseno Double Cobber that was developed in the 1990s. This
is a medium-altitude variety that also does well in higher altitudes and
is tolerant to drought conditions in lower altitudes. It doubles the
number of cobs and is suitable for roasting as it is sweet. The breeding
program has realized other products such as Lagrotech Early, also an
OPV, with a special attribute of earliness. It matures in 85–105 days
depending on environmental conditions; it is flinty and yields 3.5–4 t
ha–1. The company’s strategy has now shifted towards producing hybrids,
achieving more than 30, of which 3 have been recommended for pre-release
by the National Performance Trial (NPT) Committee. Three more varieties
have been entered for the national trials, making 6 Lagrotech hybrids
now undergoing NPT. The 3 varieties recommended for pre-release are LH
1. LH 2 and LH 3, bred for medium rainfall regions. They averagely yield
7 t ha–1 and are relatively shorter with mean heights of 240–250 cm. Our
experiments have shown that they also do well in higher altitudes with
higher rainfall. In conducting this program, Lagrotech collaborates
(through germplasm exchange) with different organizations such as the
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the
International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Kenya
Agricultural Research Institute (KARI). Some success has been observed
through this program; for instance, we have increased the tolerance
level of our hybrids to maize streak virus. Whenever there is a severe
attack of streak, the tolerant LH series is only mildly attacked.
Experiments conducted in maize streak virus hotspots in the short rains
of 2003 revealed that only about 30% of the plants showed the symptoms
as compared with the commercial checks with incidence of 40 to 52%. With
selection and selfing, Lagrotech is developing inbred lines that are
tolerant to Striga. So far we have 15 promising lines that seem to
support a fewer number of Striga plants than the control KSTP, a
commercial Striga-tolerant variety. |